Do I Need New Tyres?

What are the basics?

There is no way to tell exactly how long a tyre lasts. The lifespan and mileage of a tyre depends on a combination of factors: its design, the driver’s habits, the climate, the road conditions and the care that's put into the tyres.

A few milestones and tips:

1- Keep five years in mind

After five years or more in use, your tyres should be thoroughly inspected at least once per year by a professional.

2- Ten years is a maximum

If the tyres haven't been replaced 10 years after their date of manufacture, as a precaution, Michelin recommends replacing them with new tyres. Even if they appear to be in a usable condition and have not been worn down to the tread wear indicator. This applies to spare tyres as well.

3- Proper care expands a tyre’s lifespan

If you take good care of your tyres' air pressure, tread wear, alignment and so on, you can increase their longevity.

Neglecting basic tyre maintenance:

Not going to a professional to remove or fit tyres in case of damage or after an impact

Not balancing tyres after they are fitted or replaced

Improper tyre storage

Use of sealants that have not been approved

Improper usage:

Using summer tyres on snow and ice

Mixing tyre types

Using wheel and rim sizes that are not compatible

Fitting tyres that do not have a speed capability and load index at least equal to or higher than those originally specified by the vehicle manufacturer

Re-inflating a tyre that has been run flat or seriously under inflated

Using a spare tyre of a different size at speeds in excess of 50 mph

Do I need to change now?

We recommend to replace your tyre if:

The tread is worn beyond the recommended tread depth levels

The sidewall is damaged

Any hole in the tread is greater than 6 mm in diameter

The bead is damaged or deformed (the bead is the edge of the tyre that sits on the wheel)

1- Inspect your tyre regularly and look for:

Uneven tread wear

Shallow tread

Troublemakers (rocks, nails, etc.)

Damaged areas

Damaged valve caps

2- Pay attention to the “feel" of your tyres as you drive.

A rough ride may indicate tyre damage or excessive wear.

If you notice vibrations or other disturbances while driving, immediately reduce speed, drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road and stop, and inspect your tyres.

If a tyre is damaged, deflate it and replace it with your spare. If you do not see any tyre damage and cannot identify the source of the vibration, take the vehicle to a tyre dealer for a thorough inspection.

3- See a professional

If you see something that you’re not sure about during your inspection, have it examined by your tyre dealer.

When should I inspect my tyres?

Next steps :

Any visible perforation, cut or deformation must be checked thoroughly by a tyre professional.

Only a tyre professional can tell you if your tyre can be repaired or has to be changed.

The legal requirements on tyres: what are they?

All-season / Summer / Winter tyres: what is the difference?

To make sure that you are always safe, your tyres need to be adapted to your current weather conditions.

1- All-season:

Built to handle “everyday” driving conditions. They have great grip on dry and wet roads as well as acceptable snow traction in regions with light winter weather. All-season tyres are a practical solution designed for year-round usage, typically with a longer tread life. However, if you have all-season tyres and the winter weather is especially severe in your region, you should consider changing to winter tyres for the heavy winter months.

2- Summer tyres:

These tyres are optimised for dry and wet performance levels in a warmer environment. In the US, they are primarily found on high-performance vehicles. However, if you live in a climate where winter temperatures are colder and approach freezing regularly, you should consider changing to winter tyres during the cold months.
The rubber on summer tyres is not designed to handle temperatures below 7 °C – it gets stiffer and loses grip.

3- Winter tyres:

If you live in, or travel to, an area where the temperature often dips below 7 °C, you should consider winter tyres for the cold season. They are specifically designed to offer optimal levels of traction on ice, snow and slush in addition to wet and dry road surfaces in severe cold weather conditions. They will give you maximum safety in winter driving situations. However, winter tyres are not intended for year-round usage.

Do I need winter tyres?

Yes, if you live in an area where the ambient temperature regularly goes below 7 °C or gets heavy snow or ice. At that temperature, the rubber on standard tyres starts to harden and loses grip.

Winter tyres vs summer tyres in winter weather

Winter tyres are designed to perform better at lower temperatures and in a wide range of conditions such as wet roads, snow and ice. The difference in braking between winter tyres and summer tyres can be startling: a typical car travelling at just 30 km/h on snow will take 157ft to come to a full stop with summer tyres – a scary 79ft more than if the same car is equipped with winter tyres.

Can I use a high performance tyre if my vehicle doesn’t require one?

If you prefer a sportier look or feel to your drive, you may choose to upgrade your tyres to “high-performance” tyres with a higher speed rating.

High performance tyres will give you higher speed capability, improved handling control and maximise dry road grip to feel each curve.

But to get that extra grip, you may give up some tread life.

Fuel consumption: how does upgrading impact it?

High-performance tyres with higher speed ratings are designed to provide more grip. By definition that means comparatively lower fuel efficiency than for standard tyres since more grip often means more rolling resistance and more effort needed from the engine to move the car forwards. However, thanks to our Michelin Total Performance philosophy, we strive to deliver both great handling and fuel efficiency in our high-performance tyres.

I want a bigger tyre size: what do I need to know?

What is it?

Some performance-minded drivers upgrade their original equipment wheels with wider, bigger wheels. It’s called tyre upgrading or plus-sizing.

Why do it?

It offers better handling when done properly

It can make the vehicle look sportier

Two ways of doing it:
1- Plus 1, 2, etc.

This is the most popular method

Increase your vehicle’s wheel diameter and your tyre’s rim diameter.

To make plus-sizing work, the tyre’s aspect ratio decreases while the wheel diameter increases. The overall diameter of the tyre doesn’t change; it’s the wheel’s diameter that increases.

For example:
Changing from a 14” wheel to a 15” wheel. This is called “plus 1” because it increases the size by 1”.

2- Plus Zero

You want to leave your wheel diameter the same but with a wider tyre – note that you may need a wider wheel as well

Why do it?

It will give you a wider contact with the road and sportier look without having to invest in new wheels (in most cases).

For example:
Going from a P195/75R14 tyre to P215/65R14 tyre. This means that your tyre width will be wider (195 millimetres to 215), your aspect ratio will be smaller (75 to 65) but the wheel diameter stays the same (14).

What Is Staggering?

A staggered fitment is putting larger wheels on the back of your vehicle than the front of your vehicle. This specification comes from the vehicle’s manufacturer, and is designed to improve performance on vehicles with rear-wheel drive.

Plus-Sizing Legal notice:

Michelin does not recommend up-sizing due to safety reasons. Some manufacturers have tested and approved multiple wheel diameters, so be sure to ask your tyre dealer about any sizing needs.

What are run flats and who can use them?

What are "run flat" tyres?

Run flat tyres have specific technology to allow you to drive for a limited distance at a reduced speed after a puncture or a drop of tyre pressure.
MICHELIN Zero Pressure (ZP) tyres provide run-flat technology that allows you to drive up to 50 miles at 50 mph with a flat tyre.

Can I mount run flat tyres on any vehicle?

No, only vehicles that originally were equipped with run flat tyres should mount them – these vehicles have some suspension and chassis modifications designed for run flat tyres.

Can I mix run flat tyres with normal tyres?

Never mix run flat tyres with tyres that do not have run flat technology (conventional tyres) – unless in an emergency situation on a limited, temporary basis. The conventional tyre should be replaced with a run flat tyre as soon as possible.

It is also not recommended to mix different run flat technologies/products together.

My run flat tyre has been punctured. How long can I drive on it?

Run flat tyres only allow you to drive for a limited distance and reduced speed after a puncture or other event has resulted in either a drop in tyre inflation pressure or a complete loss of inflation pressure. If you have MICHELIN Zero Pressure (ZP) tyres, you can drive up to 50 miles at 50 mph with a flat tyre.

My tyre is low: what should I do?

A tyre is low (or soft) when it doesn’t have sufficient air pressure to meet the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended psi (pressure per square inch). Soft tyres lead to flats and tyre blow outs.

Solution:

Add air to your tyre until it reaches the proper air pressure (in psi, as measured by an air pressure gauge). To find the air pressure recommended for your tyre, consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual or find your recommended psi on the sticker on your door.

Some advice:

Never use tyres that have been driven with very low pressure unless they have been thoroughly examined internally and externally by a tyre professional.

Why?

Internal damage is not visible while the tyre is mounted; only a professional can tell whether the tyre can be safely used again.

I need to replace my tyre. Any advice?

General advice

Michelin recommends replacing all four tyres at the same time for maximum safety, to maintain even wear and traction on all four tyres.

Take time to research. You can re-buy your original equipment or a different set of tyres. They need to fit your vehicle, your climate, driving environment and your driving style. See How to choose a tyre

See a professional to mount and align your new tyres.

Replacing only two tyres

Your new tyres need to be the same size and tyre type as your current tyres.

Your new tyres need to be installed on the rear axle of your vehicle.

If you buy any variation from the original equipment tyre size or speed rating, consult your tyre dealer and the the Fitting Guide for recommendations.

If you replace less than four tyres, the rotation of the tyres might be affected.